From Concept to Global Brand: Søren H. Dinesen’s Entrepreneurial Journey with Digiseg
Jomar Interviews Søren November 2024
I was thrilled to sit down with Søren H. Dinesen, the CEO and co-founder of Digiseg, for a candid conversation about his journey as a brand creator and entrepreneur. As someone passionate about exploring the stories behind innovative brands, this discussion felt especially timely. For the Brand Leadership Community’s online magazine, BLC Insights, I aim to spotlight co-founders and visionaries like Søren, whose work exemplifies leadership and innovation in their respective fields.
Founded in 2015, Digiseg is a pioneer in privacy-centric audience targeting. Søren’s story is one of resilience, foresight, and a steadfast commitment to his values—qualities that have shaped Digiseg into a global brand operating in 50 markets. During our interview, Søren shared how the brand was built, the challenges it overcame, and his perspective on the future of digital advertising.
A Vision Rooted in Privacy
Søren’s entrepreneurial journey began well before Digiseg. With a background in data mining and offline marketing, he had already established himself as a leader in understanding consumer behavior without relying on invasive tracking. After selling his data mining company to NN Markedsdata, now Dun & Bradstreet, Søren teamed up with Bent R Jacobson, a marketing veteran. Together, they set out to digitize household-level data for use in digital advertising, while maintaining the highest standards of privacy.
“We wanted to address the unaddressable market—those consumers who don’t leave a digital breadcrumb trail,” Søren explained. “Our goal was to create a privacy-first solution that respected individuals while delivering measurable value for advertisers.”
This innovative approach involved leveraging geo-located IP addresses and household data from national statistics offices. By focusing on neighborhoods rather than individuals, Digiseg was able to offer advertisers actionable insights while avoiding the use of personal identifiable information (PII).
Bridging the Gap Between Privacy and Performance
In 2015, when Digiseg was founded, the digital advertising world was entrenched in a cookie-driven model. The idea of audience targeting without cookies or personal data was met with skepticism. Yet, Søren and his team remained committed to their vision.
“Everyone told us to use cookies,” Søren recalled. “But we knew that tracking-free advertising could deliver results without compromising privacy. We stuck to our core values, and now we’re seeing those early decisions validated.”
Digiseg’s technology, which integrates seamlessly into programmatic advertising ecosystems, has enabled brands like BMW and Vodafone to tap into previously inaccessible markets. Today, its solutions are applied across Connected TV (CTV), audio, in-app, video, display and more, making unaddressable audiences reachable in a privacy-compliant manner.
Scaling a Brand from Denmark to the World
Starting in Denmark, Digiseg quickly gained traction. Within months, the company was profitable, demonstrating that a cookie-free model was not only ethical but commercially viable. “Denmark gave us a great starting point to refine our model,” Søren said. “From there, we were able to expand internationally and take on bigger challenges.”
Today, Digiseg operates in 50 markets, offering media agencies and advertisers the ability to target audiences effectively without violating privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. This approach has positioned the brand as a leader in the global privacy movement.
The Future of Privacy and Digital Advertising
Søren is optimistic about the future of privacy-centric advertising, though he acknowledges that challenges remain. “The privacy wave is only going to grow stronger,” he predicted. “Technologies like consent laundering through clean rooms are temporary fixes. The future lies in solutions that are inherently private, like what we’re doing at Digiseg.”
He also sees opportunities for new publishing models driven by AI, as traditional media struggles to adapt. “The next 5-10 years will bring significant changes to the media landscape. Some publishers will innovate and thrive, while others may not survive. But this disruption will also create space for new players.”
A Legacy of Innovation
As I listened to Søren reflect on the evolution of Digiseg, one thing became clear: his entrepreneurial journey is a testament to the power of vision and persistence. “We were definitely ahead of our time,” he admitted. “But staying true to our values—privacy by design—has allowed us to build a brand that stands for something meaningful.”
For me, this conversation with Søren underscored the importance of spotlighting brand creators who challenge norms and lead with purpose. At BLC Insights, I hope to share more stories like his—stories that inspire and showcase the human ingenuity behind successful brands.
As Digiseg continues to grow, Søren’s journey serves as a blueprint for ethical innovation and leadership in the digital age. From concept to global brand, Digiseg exemplifies what it means to stay true to one’s vision, even in the face of doubt.
Jomar Reyes is the founder of the Brand Leadership Community and editor of its online magazine, BLC Insights. This article is based on his recent November 2024 interview with Søren H. Dinesen, CEO and co-founder of Digiseg.
Søren H. Dinesen
About Digiseg
Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, specializes in targeting and measurement that enhance digital marketing efforts. Their proprietary technology segments entire countries into neighborhoods with minnimum 100 households, layering data on income, life stage, car ownership, and more, enabling advertisers and media agencies to identify optimal target audiences without relying on personal information.
Visit digiseg.io/
